Stranger Things Have Happened
by Fatalani-Zabini
Summary: Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Hermione returns to Hogwarts after the final battle. Determined to do well on her NEWTS but finds her dorm mate distracting, and intriging. Rated M for later chapters. DH compliant minus epilogue ON HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

Stranger Things Have Happened

Hermione/Blaise other pairings possible

Post DH minus epilogue

--

July came in like a flare on the sun. It had barely been a month since the final battle, and fall of Voldemort. Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Ginny were back at the Burrow, reveling in the joy of the end of the war and their returning to Hogwarts.

Hermione was reading(surprise) when Ron came in and asked to talk with her.

They'd been technically dating for a year, even if it hadn't been official.

"Hermione, are you avoiding me" Ron asked.

"Yes, I suppose so," That was true. She'd been in the room she shared with Ginny reading her copies of _Advanced Arithmancy_ and the NEWT level book for Ancient Runes in turn, and discovering that she was turning the pages without taking anything in. She'd noticed this behavior ever since they had returned to the Burrow after the battle. She couldn't focus on anything except Ron, and was coming to realize that this was going to continue all year. So she'd reached the hard decision. "I'm sorry Ronald. I've just been doing some thinking," Hermione replied sadly.

"What is it? What's wrong? Is it me," Ron asked without letting her answer before moving on to his next query.

"Well yes, and no. I've just been thinking about this coming year. It's NEWT year and it's going to be really hard for all of us. I'm just not sure I can take on the responsibility of a relationship and keep up with the course work. I'm afraid it will drive us apart," She rushed this out in one breath, as if saying it fast would make it less unpleasant.

"Oh," Ron said quietly. He knew how important her grades were, and he knew that he'd be a distraction. So he could see where this was going.

"It's not that I don't want to be with you. I just think maybe we should wait until we graduate before getting too serious. You know I've loved you for too long to really be throwing this away," Hermione explained.

"I know. You're right. I.." Ron faltered, it wasn't really alright, but he couldn't hurt her. "I've just been so stupid for so long, but I understand that our grades are important. Still my best friend though, right?"

"Of course!" Hermione exclaimed. She got up and threw her arms around his neck, looking into his eyes. She could see that he was hurting, and at the same time knew that he really did understand. "After all we've been through, you could never lose my friendship."

She kissed him gently. It was a chaste kiss, and he knew it would be their last for awhile, but he allowed her to pull away rather than allow his basic male instincts to take over.

"Alright. Great. C'mon, Mum's fixing lunch, and I'm starving," Ron said turning for the door.

"Oh Ronald, you're always starving," Hermione giggled as she pushed him out onto the landing.

* * *

Before the trio knew it, it was the first of September and they were once again on the Hogwart's Express. Since the previous year had been under the control of mostly Death Eaters and the corrupted Ministry, it didn't count towards the young witches and wizard true magical education. So the classmates that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been with for their first six years were there again. A lot of them, being muggleborn, had missed the previous year as well. Harry found it odd, like the whole year had never happened. Except that McGonagall was Headmistress, and Slughorn was still teaching Potions after the death of Snape, things seemed out of time and place.

"Any word on the new D.A.D.A. teacher," Ginny asked from her seat by the window.

"I heard it's a woman from the States," Ron said, " Dad said it's not anyone he's heard of before."

"Hmm, can't be worse than Umbridge, I suppose," Harry said darkly, "Wonder how long Hermione will be gone."

Hermione had been made Head Girl, not that any one was surprised. The shocking thing was that Harry wasn't Head Boy.

Hermione had been mortified and upset when she'd gotten the honor and Harry hadn't. Harry, however, insisted that regardless of his "extracurricular" activities, he wasn't good enough academically to be Head Boy.

"Dunno. Who's Head Boy anyway," asked Ron distractedly. He knew that the Head Boy and Girl shared a dorm area together, and wasn't too happy about Hermione being alone in a private common room with her male counterpart.

"Zabini," Hermione said as she opened the compartment door.

"Not that Slytherin prat," exclaimed Ginny.

Ron scowled. He knew that actually Zabini wasn't a prat at all, his family weren't Death Eaters and he was actually quiet and kind for a Slytherin. He was also very handsome.

"He's really quite nice. Surprisingly," Hermione said, instantly regretting it because the look on Ron's face was painful.

"Could be worse, it could be Malfoy," Harry said thinking that might get a reaction from Ron, but Ron just continued to scowl at blindly Crookshanks, who was curled up in his lap.

"Yes, well…," Hermione said, still standing at the door, "I have to go patrol the train. I'll be back for the trolley

Harry and Ginny waved, but Ron just grimaced.

* * *

Hermione felt terrible about Ron, but tried not to let it show over the next few weeks. She knew that dwelling on her decision would be as distracting as the continued relationship would have been. She didn't see much of Harry and Ron outside of classes and meals because she did her homework and studying in the Head's common. There was a mini library in the room that contained most of the most common reference books, so she rarely had to grace the main library.

She didn't pay much attention to Zabini either, outside of their shared duties. But occasionally they discussed their Arithmancy and Ancient Rune homework. Hermione thought that he was probably the only other student in the school that had a true grasp of those tough subjects. She was grateful for his input, and he seemed to be thankful for hers.

This was the most time she had ever seen him close up in over six years of school together. In the glances that she had stolen toward him allowed her to see that he was, in fact, very handsome with Italian olive skin and sharp, but graceful features. He was so quiet compared to most Slytherin's that she had dealt with in the past. She also noticed that he didn't show any sign of adhering to the pureblood mania that most of his house believed in so avidly. Nor did he seem to ever have though that way.

"Do you need something," Zabini asked suddenly, which pulled her out of her ruminations.

"What," Hermione asked innocently.

"You're staring," he said simply not looking up from the notes he was taking.

"Oh," she sputtered, embarrassed, "I was just lost in thought."

"If you say so," he smirked.

Wow, that's unbelievably cute, she thought before she could stop herself. She couldn't think that about him. It just wasn't allowed. He's Slytherin, and she's Gryffindor, and then there's Ron. If she was completely honest with herself, she actually felt her feelings for Ron fading slightly. Not gone altogether, but she just chalked it up to the time they spent apart recently.

"Ugh, I'm tired of staring at these," Zabini said, pushing away his Ancient Runes textbook a little more forcefully than he meant and it went flying across the table, and into Hermione's lap, taking with it all of her own runes notes. "Oops, I'm sorry. You ok?"

She looked up from the mess of papers in her lap and was surprised to find him just inches from her chair.

"I... I'm fine. Really Zabini, if you want my attention you could just say my name. No need to attack me," She laughed as she gathered her notes, while he bent down to retrieve his book as it fell from her lap to the floor. They bumped heads on the way to straightening up. Hermione looked up at him, and he was looking at her as if he'd never seen her plainly before.

"Sorry, I… I don't know why I'm so clumsy tonight," he said. "I'm going to bed, see you in the morning, Hermione." He shoved his book into his bag and disappeared into his private room.

Speechless didn't even begin to cover what Hermione was experiencing. He used her first name, and the way he had looked at her was a little unsettling, but not unpleasantly.

She sat there lost in thought until the fire had almost gone out before she realized that she had accomplished nothing further with her translation, and decided she should have gone to bed hours before.

* * *

I hope this will be full and lengthy. I know it's a little corny but it's just getting started. this is my first fic so bear with me.


	2. Chapter 2

That night her dreams were filled with Zabini's face with that look, and with Ron's angry face at her betrayal. She woke with a start, sweating and breathing hard. She hadn't betrayed Ron, even if she felt something for Zabini, she and Ron weren't currently together. There was no betrayal to be done.

She got up and realized it was 5 in the morning. Knowing she couldn't possibly sleep more she decided to go on and shower, but as she reached to bathroom door, she heard that Zabini was already there.

Odd, why is he up so early, she wondered. Resigned to wait, she stayed in her pajamas and went back down to the common room to try and finish the translation she had given up on the night before.

Blaise Zabini was an introvert to say the least, and he preferred to remain in the background. He had been forced into view with the Head Boyship, and he wasn't sure he wanted the attention or responsibility. He was smart, bested at Hogwarts only by Granger. Hermione. No. Granger. What had made him call her Hermione? He had hardly slept, which was why he was now up at 5 in the morning already taking a shower. He was confused by the previous night. It was like a barrier had been broken between he and his female counterpart. Blaise just didn't know how to handle the feelings that her proximity had brought to light.

He had always been intrigued by the brown haired muggle-born witch, not so much because of her blood status as he never gave a rat's ass about such things, but because she seemed to be much more complicated than she let on. Most just viewed her as a know-it-all, and of course the best friend of famous Harry Potter. Blaise had vaguely heard that Potter owed his life to Granger, since she was smarter and most talented than him. He didn't buy much into this claim either. The Golden Trio were obvious talented, even Weasley, because together they had worked out how to defeat the Dark Lord, something that had been eluding the Ministries so-called "top minds" for years.

This was all running around in his mind so quickly, that he hadn't realized that he'd just been standing under the shower lost in thought. Scowling at how easily his thoughts of Granger had distracted him. He turned off the tap, and grabbed a towel. He walked into his room, and noticed that there was light flickering from under the door to the common room.

_What is she doing up this early?_, he thought. Maybe the same reason he was. He dressed quickly, and opened the door to the common room quietly. She didn't notice him at first, immersed in her runes translation as she was. He took the opportunity to take her in. She hadn't changed out of her pajamas. Oddly, she was wearing a girls baby tee baring the Quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons, and some soft comfortable looking matching orange pajama pants. He'd never gotten the feeling she remotely cared about Quidditch, and hoped that if she did, she'd pick a better team than bottom of the league Cannons.

_Must be what Weasley supports,_ he concluded. He reflected that she looked very cute, chewing on her bottom lip while she struggled with a tough rune. Mentally, he slapped himself. _She's a Gryffindor, she's out of bounds, _he kept repeating to himself as he steeled himself and let his door shut behind him with a snap, alerting her to his presence.

"Oh," she exclaimed. "Zabini, you scared me. Bout time you're out of the shower. Why are you up so early anyway?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. And I could ask you the same thing."

"Weird dreams. Couldn't sleep anymore. Decided to shower, but realized you'd beat me to it," she answered half truthfully. How could she tell him that her weird dreams were about him.

"Hmm," Zabini said thoughtfully. "I was dreaming oddly, too."

Hermione thought this was rather cryptic, but then realized that she had been too.

"Want help with that," Zabini asked, taking the seat next to her at the table. "I almost finished mine last night."

"Oh, thanks. I guess I could use some assistance," Hermione was taken a little aback by his offer. She was used to being asked for help, but not offered it.

"Great. First you made a mistake right here, _wymrn_ means woven not taken. That's _wamyrn_," he pointed out kindly.

"Oh," Hermione normally would have felt humiliated at being wrong, but she was shocked at how nice he was, not gloating, or holding her mistake over her head. _This could be alright._

* * *

Hermione was fighting a losing battle inside her head. The little voice that represented her more wild side was telling her to let herself open up to her raven haired dorm mate, but the quieter, more sensible voice was reminding her of her studies and Ron. But she wasn't technically with Ron, and had made no promises. It wasn't her fault if other boys caught her attention. _Being stupid_, she thought to her self. _As if you've actually caught his attention. You're muggle-born and a Gryffindor. _Somehow this didn't help submerge her strange feelings.

That morning, she sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, reading the Daily Prophet. News was pretty thin on the ground these days. Most of Voldemort's old followers were dead or captured, so there wasn't much going on. It was odd to read the paper that, for the first time in years, didn't mention odd disappearances, or mass Azkaban breakouts.

"Oy, Hermione," Ron said pulling the Prophet down from her face. "You need to eat. There's nothing in there anyway."

"Oh, sorry. I was kind of lost in thought," Hermione said putting away the paper and pulling a large plate of sausages towards her.

"Mmhmm," muttered Ginny from her right.

"What is that supposed to mean," asked Hermione impatiently.

"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all," said Ginny with a smirk. She knew her best friend all too well.

Hermione aimed a sideways kick at Ginny, who sputtered over her pumpkin juice. But before she could ask what that was for, Hermione gave her a look that said _Drop it._

Just then a large brown barn owl, swooped down and dropped a letter in Hermione's lap.

"Why's it so late," Ron asked, around a mouthful of scrambled eggs.

"I don't know," Hermione said looking quizzically at the envelope. The handwriting was only vaguely familiar. Then it hit her.

_Zabini._

Why would he send her a letter? And why so long after the mail drop? Hermione decided she didn't really want to open it in front of Ron, but as she made to put it in her bag Ginny grabbed her arm.

"Aren't you going to open it," Ginny asked.

"Well, no. I think it may be personal," she replied coolly.

She was saved as the bell rang. Hermione was grateful that she had a free period after breakfast, and the others did not, so she could open the strange letter away from prying eyes. She went straight to the library, back to her favorite study spot. Then took the letter from her bag, and opened it tentatively.

_I've been watching you for awhile now, _

_my pretty little miss. _

_And I've got to tell you this, _

_you make me want to hisssss._

It wasn't signed. But Hermione was positive it came from Zabini. It was very Slytherin of him. It was lyrics from one of her favorite muggle musicals, Children of Eden by Stephen Schwartz. It was from the song in which the serpent tempts Eve.

Hermione laughed out loud at the comparison. At the same time she was touched that he'd pay attention all those years ago. In their fourth year, Professor McGonagall thought it would build unity to have, in addition to all the festivities surrounding the Triwizard Tournament, a talent contest. Hermione was too shy to enter herself, but had coached Lavender. She'd chosen another song from Children of Eden, Stranger to the Rain. Lavender got first place, and told everyone that would listen that she owed it to Hermione's song choice and vocal coaching.

Harry and Ron had been shocked because Hermione had never mentioned singing at all. It was actually one of her passions. One that she didn't get to exercise much at Hogwart's.

So now, three years later, Zabini has not only remembered, but obviously gone to the trouble of researching something form the muggle world. She was amazed.

Hermione remained so lost in thought that she didn't notice Zabini watching her from a few shelves away. If she had, she would have noticed the distinctly odd expression on his face of pure joy, that she was obviously pleased by his little note.

* * *

I claim no rights to Children of Eden. The full credit for that amazing work goes to the amazing Stephen Schwartz, writer and composer extraordinaire. please R&R. thanks for your support. and i too wish Blaise was canon and not fanon. i think he would have been a fascinating character.


	3. Chapter 3

In my eagerness to include something outside of HP that I love, I integrated my love of Stephen Schwartz in, only to realize while writing this that Hermione's 4th year would have been in '94 and CoE came out in '98. Oh well, can't take it back to we'll just pretend that my timeline isn't insane. Anything else I add, I'll try to keep it in the correct timeline. But since I didn't get into HP until '03, I have a hard time remembering that Hermione and the rest are actually 6 years older than myself instead of the other way around. Sorry it's been so long. I've been so caught up reading other stories on this and other sites, mainly Hermione/Draco or Hermione/Snape(which at first was weird, but now not so much) because there isn't much Hermione/Blaise that I became kind of blocked on this. Still am a little, but it's coming out little by little.

* * *

Hermione was more than a little flustered at Zabini's forwardness, and so attempted to put off the eventual confrontation. She tried to leave their shared common room before he did, and often invited Harry and Ron back in the evenings to study with her. Whenever they were there, Zabini usually scowled at them before shutting himself in his room.

Hermione hadn't told anyone, but Ginny, about the note. Ginny thought she was crazy for avoiding the handsome Slytherin.

"What are you afraid of? He's obviously smitten with you, and very different from the rest of his house," Ginny admonished one evening when Hermione visited her in Gryffindor Tower.

"Ginny," Hermione sighed, a little exasperated, "I broke things off with Ron, so I wouldn't be distracted from my studies. How would it look if I took up with the person that I share rooms with? More of a distraction than Ron, that would be."

Hermione had been telling her self this each time she started to think she would have a chat with Zabini. It would be most inappropriate, and detrimental to her friendship with Ron.

"Well, at the very least you could stop avoiding him. You could be his friend. Then, at least when you graduate, maybe you could give him a chance." Ginny said with a Malfoy-like smirk.

"I'll think about it. Now do you want me to look over your Potions essay or not," Hermione asked, trying desperately to change the subject. She had to admit Ginny had a point. At least about being his friend. She was afraid that his obvious charm would keep her from sticking to a friendship. However, she resolved to put on her brave Gryffindor resolve and talk to her dorm mate.

* * *

Blaise was irritated to say the least. It had been almost two weeks since he'd sent Hermione the note and seen her obviously pleased reaction. Yet, she hadn't spoken to him, and had barely looked at him since then. He never got a chance to try and talk to her because she was never there in the mornings, and the evenings she was there, Potter and Weasley were there. He was very confused indeed. He was sure that she had appreciated his sentiment in the note, and had appeared amused, even happy, about it. But by the next morning, she had become reclusive and indifferent towards him.

He finally decided he must have been too forward, though he didn't see how. He thought that by choosing something Muggle related, that he might endear himself to the Muggleborn witch. His love of music had always set him apart from most of his housemates. Blaise didn't care if the music was from the wizarding world or the Muggle world. After fourth year, he wanted to know more about the Muggle musical that the talent show winner's song had come from, and so that summer went to London. He saw Children of Eden and was taken aback by the amazing musicality of it. And in typical Slytherin fashion, identified with the serpent, and in the back of his mind, he already saw Hermione as his Eve.

The lovely, young witch was very similar to the created character of Eve, both having and almost insatiable curiosity and exuding a wonderful innocence as a result. Hermione was now far from the bushy haired, buck tooth, know-it-all that she had entered the wizarding world as. Fourth year was probably the first time Blaise had realized how pretty she was becoming, even if her dunderheaded friends didn't notice. This year, however, she was downright beautiful, gorgeous even. Still a know-it-all, but not in an annoying fashion. The war had subdued her, it had had that effect on everyone. Some more than others, like Draco.

Oh he came back to Hogwarts, not much else he could do with both of his parents in Azkaban. Potter had attested that Draco had only become a Death Eater out of fear for his life, and his mother's, and that he didn't want him punished for his foolish father's ideas. Draco had been surprised, angered, and confused by the kind actions from someone he had treated like gum under his shoe for six years. Blaise had been at the hearing. Draco had been one of his best friends, even if they didn't act it in public. Draco couldn't be seen associating with a family of purebloods that didn't defer to the Dark Lord. When the Wizengamot had released Draco from custody, Potter had extended his hand to Draco. Blaise knew that Draco had made a similar gesture to Potter almost seven years before, only to be rebuffed, but Draco shook his hand with a bit of humility. But then he did something that Blaise would never believed if he hadn't been there to see it. Draco hugged Potter. Not a family kind of hug, just the kind of hug that guys gave each other, while trying to remain manly. Potter had been as surprised as Blaise, but said nothing, just gestured to the door when Draco pulled away.

Now back at school, Draco and Potter were almost friends. War really makes a huge difference in people, and this was one of the most extreme examples. But unlike Hermione, Potter seemed to be more alive than he had ever been, despite his losses. Still uncomfortable with the fame that came along with being the Boy Who Lived, but he could walk down the corridors with little or no badgering from those who had favored Voldemort.

Hermione and Weasley, however, were suddenly famous and couldn't take it in stride as well as Potter. The whole wizarding community now knew about their adventures leading up to the Final Battle, and the parts that the two had played in helping Potter to destroy the Horcruxes which bound Voldemort to life. Weasley was almost unbearable, strutting around like an international Quidditch star, but Hermione had just put her nose back in her books and tried to concentrate on N.E.W.T.S. and her now unencumbered future. But the losses that had been suffered seemed to weigh on her shoulders.

Just a few weeks ago, Peeves played a rather nasty prank on an unsuspecting Argus Filch, involving a few borrowed Weasley's Wildfire Wizzbangs, several full ink wells, and Mrs. Norris, and proclaimed loudly that it was in memory of Fred Weasley. Hermione had been in the middle of threatening to call the Bloody Baron, when she burst out in tears. Potter was close enough to catch her as she slumped to the ground, and she quickly tore off to her room and missed the afternoon Potions class.

Blaise had noticed her internal battle to keep her emotions in check, and wanted to help her, but he hadn't the slightest clue how.

With a sigh, Blaise pulled himself out of his own meandering reveries and tried to focus on the Potions essay that was due the next day. Within minutes he was so engrossed in his Advanced Potions book that he didn't notice Hermione quietly enter their shared Common Room.

* * *

Hermione decided that she'd put off talking to Zabini for long enough and left Ginny to finish her essay. On the way to the Head's rooms, her mind drifted to the state she'd been in lately. Putting up a brave front for the most part, while a storm raged inside as she tried to get over everything that had been lost in the war. She put it up to pure girly emotions that made her almost break down at the thought of friends lost. She was more than a little embarrassed at her loss of control over the memory of Fred a few weeks prior, and had very carefully worked on blocking all painful memories out while she was outside of her room. But she couldn't help up tear up whenever Harry got a letter from Andromeda Tonks with updates on Teddy Lupin, Harry's godson. She missed Nymphadora, but allowed a small smile at the scolding she would have gotten from Tonks had she called her by her given name. Harry was dealing much better with the loss of Lupin than she thought he would. After losing Sirius and Dumbledore, Remus was the closest thing to a father figure Harry had had left. Other than Mr. Weasley, of course. Harry was practically their son these days, especially with his renewed relationship with Ginny, of which Mr. and Mrs. Weasley strongly approved. Hermione was really happy for them. It also seemed like Harry helped alleviate some of their pain from losing Fred, that and Percy finally coming to his senses.

Suddenly, Hermione found herself standing at the portrait which was the entrance to their rooms. With a quick look around to make sure no one was near, she uttered the password (_Domus iunctum_), and quietly entered the room.

She found Zabini absorbed in what she thought was probably his Potions book. He gave no sign to have noticed her entry, so she stood by the portrait hole and studied him. She wondered if he was affected at all by her treatment of him of late. He seemed not to really be making much progress. Looked as distracted as she herself had felt recently. Hermione wondered if there could ever be anything between them. She didn't know enough about him personally to try and picture herself with him in five, or ten years. Then again, she new quite a bit about Ron, and had a very difficult time imagining herself with him years on down the road. Not at least any visions that didn't include her going to Azkaban for finally throttling him. A small chuckle escaped her then, before she could stop it, and Zabini's head snapped up and he met her gaze.

"Hermione," Was he blushing? "I didn't hear you come in."

"You looked busy. I didn't want to disturb you," Hermione lied softly.

"Ha. I'm not really getting much accomplished. The essay's long enough anyway, I was just trying to cram in some more information."

A full-on laugh escaped Hermione this time.

"What's so funny," Zabini asked frowning slightly. Hermione thought he looked a bit childish, but it was also cute.

"I was just thinking you sound like me. My essays are usually at least five inches longer than they're supposed to be. I feel like I've gotten off easy if I only add three," she replied through her subsiding giggles.

Zabini smiled and laughed then.

"Oh, well I don't feel like such an over achiever now. I usually only add two," he said still smiling handsomely up at her.

Hermione was surprised at how easy it was to talk with him, even after almost two weeks of near silence. It unnerved her how giddy his smile made her feel. Her stomach was contracting uncomfortably.

"Well, I thought that I'd ignored you for too long. And I wanted to apologize for that. You just took me a little off guard. With you sentiment and the amount of thought you put into that small gesture," she rushed it out for fear if she breathed she'd never tell him any of what she'd come here to say.

"I was afraid I was too forward. But I thought you'd be pleasantly surprised at my Muggle musical knowledge. Music is a passion of mine, as it is for you. I've noticed you seem to keep that part of you to yourself. May I ask why," Zabini asked never breaking eye contact. It made Hermione's stomach churn even more.

"Well," she started nervously, sitting down on the couch, "I suppose it's the only thing I have that's my own. The boys and Ginny have Quidditch, which I've never cared for, and I have music, which I'm not even sure they have any clue about. Well Ginny does, but Harry and Ron are too caught up in their own obsessions," she revealed cautiously. Having something that she could lose herself, and only herself in was something she considered very personal and private, and was at a loss to why she'd just admitted that to Zabini. What was it about him that made her trust him?

"I understand you there. I've always had to keep my passion a secret, too. Slytherin's aren't supposed to like show tunes. I'd look like a huge poof to the rest of them. Except for Draco, he knows, even likes a few. Though if you asked him, he'd deny it to the ends of the earth," Zabini laughed at the last part.

"Wow. That's something I'd never have guessed. Draco the poof," Hermione began to laugh so hard it hurt, and she collapsed sideways on the couch.

Zabini stood up to fast he knocked his chair over, and was instantly standing over her.

"He is not! I'm kind enough not to insult Weasley in front of you, and I'd appreciate it if you'd extend the same courtesy about Draco," he almost yelled, but there was a trace of amusement on his face as he huffed and sat on the floor, leaning against the couch with his back inches from Hermione's face.

"I was only kidding. There's no need to get so defensive of your boyfriend," she knew she was just asking for it and prepared for him to yell at her again, even as she burst into more laughter.

But Zabini didn't yell, he was just on her with lightning reflexes, and began tickling her so hard that she was gasping for breath between giggles.

"Would you like to try saying that again? Or should I tickle you till you're blue," Zabini asked only half menacingly as he wrestled with her on the couch.

"Alright! Alright! Mercy! Please," Hermione begged him.

He stopped tickling her, and she bowed her head while she regained her breath.

He realized that they were only inches from each other, side by side on the couch. He could smell the hint of jasmine from her shampoo, and vanilla from her skin, that he'd noticed was soft as suede, while he'd been assaulting her ribcage, and underarms.

Hermione finally regained her composure and lifted her head, quickly realizing that Zabini's nose was only two inches from her own.

" Blaise…I..," she trailed off, stunned into silence by her unexpected use of his given name.

"Shh," he whispered, and he moved in to capture his lips with his own. She tasted as good as she smelled, and he was more than pleased when he gently licked her lips and was granted entrance into her hot mouth.

Hermione lost all thought the moment that Blaise came into contact with her mouth. She found herself reaching the arm that she wasn't laying on to snake around to the back of his head, and lightly tangle in his dark hair. In response, Blaise slid his right arm around her waist to pull her closer to him, eliciting a small moan of pleasure from her, that was lost into Blaise's own mouth.

They kissed for what seemed like hours, holding on to each other fiercely, before Blaise pulled away for breath. His eyes met hers, and they looked at each other, panting hard each thinking something similar:

This certainly complicates things.


End file.
